


Five Times Arthur Kissed A Boy (and One Time A Boy Kissed Him)

by gotthebiggayquelquefois



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Gay, Jealous Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Jealousy, M/M, Okay no smut, Period-Typical Homophobia, Uther Pendragon's A+ Parenting (Merlin), Very fluffy, five times and, i hate uther, idk i havent written it yet, just a lot of gay shit, maybe smut?, there is swearing though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:40:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28577658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gotthebiggayquelquefois/pseuds/gotthebiggayquelquefois
Summary: Title sums it up. This is just an idea I had and had to write.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 157





	Five Times Arthur Kissed A Boy (and One Time A Boy Kissed Him)

**Author's Note:**

> akdcajdnis this is my first time writing a merlin fanfic, i hope it goes okay

1.

By the time Arthur was 16, Uther was already introducing him to very nice, appropriate princesses. Arthur would go riding with them, laugh and eat nice food, and then realise that he wanted to be their friend, and nothing else. When this had happened for the third time this year (and it was only April) Uther gave up. Arthur was a late bloomer, he decided and was probably too young for romance anyway. He didn't notice that once the princess left Arthur ran straight back to spend more time with Thomas, the son of a courtier that Arthur trained with. Arthur told Uther that Thomas was his best friend, but he'd long given up on trying to tell himself that. He knew that best friends didn't hold hands when no one could see them, or fall asleep laying in bed together. He had never said anything about this out loud to Thomas, just in case, just in case he was wrong and then suddenly everything would fall apart.

He was thinking about this one evening as he and Thomas sat in the woods, resting against a tree, not saying much.

"What are you thinking about?" Thomas asked as if he could hear Arthur thinking.

"Nothing."

"Really?"

"Yep. Absolutely nothing."

"If you say so."

They returned to silence. Arthur could hear the birds and that was about it. 

"Would you just tell me?"

"There's nothing to tell."

"That's horeshit."

"Well, I'm not telling you."

"So there is something to tell then?"

"Shut up."

"Tell me."

"I'm the prince, I don't have to tell you anything."

"Okay." Thomas sat still for a moment, and then launched towards Arthur and began to tickle him relentlessly, all while squealing "Tell meeeeeeee." Arthur tried to scramble away, but Thomas was stronger and he couldn't move. They were very close to each other, hair touching, then foreheads, all while Thomas carried on tickling him. Before Arthur knew what was happening, he was closing the gap and kissing Thomas. It barely lasted two seconds, before they both pulled away. They stared at each other for a moment, and then both broke into the widest grins they had ever seen.

2\. 

It was a year and a half later. Thomas had found a very interesting and pretty noble girl, and apparently, he was "sick of the hiding". So Arthur went out and found that boy (his name didn't matter) who there were always rumors about. He flirted with him, and took him into the throne room late in the evening, trying his best to impress him. The boy flirted back and asked Arthur if he was flirting with him. Arthur said yes, and then closed the gap between them, and kissed him.

He was exhilarated. It wasn't the boy, it was the fact that he was kissing someone new, and there was no shame or fear in the kiss. Here he was, kissing a boy, right in front of Uther's throne. Uther who hated people like him as much as he hated people with magic. The thought sent a rush of excitement through him. The high didn't last long. As if his thoughts had summoned him, Uther had burst into the room. The pair jumped apart, but it was too late. There was screaming and Arthur couldn't count how many times he heard the phrase "young and confused". Arthur wondered what had happened to the boy, but he never saw him again.

3.

Arthur hadn't done this in a long time. Not since that boy and Uther's throne room and... He didn't want to think about it. Since then, Arthur had stuck to pretty noble girls and princesses visiting from neighboring lands. But he couldn't stop thinking about boys, and how it felt... different from all the girls he met. But Uther. 

Arthur didn't need to pay for it. He was a very eligible bachelor that half the women and a few of the men in Camelot wanted a piece of. But he did have to pay for silence. So here he was, gold in his pocket, waiting at the edge of the woods for a boy he'd met in a tavern last week. He shouldn't be doing this, but he'd been so worked up recently, especially since his new manservant was so frustrating. Arthur couldn't believe his father had just appointed him out of nowhere. _Well he did save my life._ Arthur ignored that thought, only getting more frustrated and borderline desperate at the thoughts of his manservant. He looked up, and saw Ethan walking towards him.

"Ethan...hi," Arthur said, slightly hyperventilating.

"Hi," Ethan said, grinning slightly. Unsure what he was supposed to do next, Arthur pulled the bag of gold out of his pocket and handed it over quickly. "Thank you," Ethan said, grinning at Arthur's anxious mannerisms. "So what- what happens now, do we erm, I never-" 

"Arthur," Ethan cut him off.

"Yes?"

"Would you just shut up and kiss me?" And with that five years of tension and frustration and wishing for something like this (all which wasn't helped by his new manservant and his fucking lips) boiled over, and Arthur slammed Ethan against the tree he was stood in front of and kissed him.

4.

Merlin and serving boy. In an alcove where they thought no one could see them. Arthur didn't know why he cried, or why he was so angry. Or why he was so jealous of that stupid serving boy with his hands all over Merlin. Arthur didn't know why he made an excuse to leave Camelot alone and rode out to a tavern with a reputation. He didn't know why he found the first guy there with dark hair and bluish-green eyes and flirted with him. He didn't know why he pulled him out the back of the tavern. He didn't know why he kissed. Or why he was thinking of someone else while he fumbled with the man's belt.

5.

The new disease was spreading through the lower town faster than anything Gaius had ever seen before. Of course, Merlin had disobeyed orders and snuck into the lower town with supplies. _Why couldn't he have listened just this once?_ Arthur thought as he paced Gaius' room, staring down at Merlin laying, unconscious and pale on the table. Arthur sat down next to Merlin and buried his head in his hands. Gaius had left to go gather more herbs, and Arthur had offered to take over for Gwen when she had yawned eight times in one minute. It was just them. Alone. Normally he loved that. Being alone with Merlin, letting his guard down, getting to stand closer to Merlin than he normally could. But now he was so close to him and it was horrible. Merlin should be saying something sarcastic or rude right now. But instead, he was just lying there, not moving. Arthur started to cry. He couldn't. Merlin couldn't. "You can't die," Arthur said, surprising himself with the sound of his own voice. And then, in a moment of self-indulgence, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Merlin's forehead. 

+1.

Arthur had been so angry at Merlin ever since he saved him from those bandits two days ago. Merlin didn't understand it. "Typical Arthur," Merlin said over dinner, "I save his life and now he's angry at me!" Gaius rolled his eyes at how oblivious Merlin was. 

"Maybe you should talk to him about it," he suggested. Merlin scoffed.

"As if he'd listen to me."

Despite this, Merlin found himself bringing the topic up in Arthur's chambers later that night as he tidied the room up. "Why are you angry at me?" Merlin said nonchalantly as he picked something up.

"I'm not angry."

"You threw twelve things at my head today!" Merlin exclaimed.

"I'm just tired."

"Whatever. Forget I asked." Merlin walked across the room, placing the cup Arthur had thrown at him earlier in its place. 

"Why can't you ever listen to me? Even when it's for your own good?"

"What?"

"I told you not to go to the lower town, I told you that I didn't need help with those bandits. And what happened? You almost died both times. It's not fair!"

"Arthur-"

"I just wish you would listen to me sometimes." Merlin grinned softly. 

"You almost sound like you care."

"I... I," Arthur stuttered, worrying what Merlin would think if he knew the truth.

"It's okay, you don't have to pretend," Merlin said, trying not to look disappointed.

Arthur panicked and walked up to Merlin, grabbing him by his stupid jacket. "Of course I care! I care so much. Sometimes I care so much I think it will kill me. And I know I'm just your employer, but you're my friend and I care about you more... more than anything." Realising how tightly he was gripping Merlin, he let go and backed off. "I'm sorry. Sorry. I know you don't feel the same." Merlin laughed.

"What?" Arthur asked, trying not to look at Merlin directly.

"You really are an idiot." Before Arthur could say anything to retaliate, Merlin was kissing him. He'd never been kissed like this before. His head spun. They parted for a second. "I care too," Merlin whispered, before kissing Arthur again.


End file.
